Odisha requests Tamilnadu to supply trained Kumki elephants
Bhubaneswar (Kalinga Voice) : Keeping in view the human-elephant conflicts in the state, the Government of Odisha has requested Tamilnadu Government to supply trained Kumki elephants along with their mahouts.
In a letter to the Additional Chief Secretary. Environment, Climate Change & Forests Department Tamil Nadu, Additional Chief Secretary Forest, Environment & Climate Change Department, Odisha, Sri Satyabrata Sahu writes ” In recent years we have been facing significant challenges in mitigating human-elephant conflicts. Your help in getting trained kumki elephants would greatly assist us in addressing these conflicts effectively and humanely. Kumki elephants can be deployed strategically to help us to manage and drive wild elephants thereby reducing damage to crops, human habitations and the potential loss of both human and elephant lives. These elephants can also be deployed for forest patrolling and rescue operations. Understanding that Tamil Nadu has a successful and commendable program in place, whereby kumki elephants are trained and utilized for wildlife conservation purposes, I would request you to provide us with four kumki elephants for deployment in conflict prone areas of Odisha. These elephants will serve as invaluable asset to our State’s Wildlife Organization, aiding our efforts to minimize conflicts and safeguard both human and wildlife interests.”
Sri Sahu also requested in his letter to depute the mahouts taking care of those kumki elephants along with the elephants, for only initial handholding support to the local mahouts of Odisha to get them acquainted with those Kumki elephants.
